Indian Wells has long been known as Tennis Paradise, and for Carlos Alcaraz, the name couldn’t be more fitting. As the defending champion, the Spaniard is aiming to make history by becoming just the third man—after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic—to win three consecutive titles at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
“I’m here to take that pressure,” Alcaraz said, embracing the challenge of his title defense. “I will try to just enjoy it. Every time I come here, I love practising, playing—everything feels easy for me here. I wait all year just to come back.”
Settling In and Adapting to Changes
Alcaraz arrived in Indian Wells on Monday night and wasted no time settling in, hitting the golf course on Tuesday before stepping onto the practice courts in the evening. This year, tournament organizers have sped up the courts, a change the Spaniard welcomed with confidence.
“I consider myself a player who adapts well to different surfaces and conditions,” he said. “Even though the courts are a bit faster, I think I can still play great tennis.”
A New and Improved Serve
One of the key adjustments Alcaraz has made this season is his serve, a change he introduced ahead of his Australian Open quarter-final run.
“I’m still working on it, still improving,” he said. “But I’m feeling great, like it’s an upgrade. I just have to keep believing in the movement and the serve because I know it can be a great weapon.”
While he has full confidence in his second serve, Alcaraz acknowledged that there’s still room for improvement with his first serve.
“My second serve is really solid, and I trust it a lot,” he said. “The first serve could be better.”
With his confidence high and his game evolving, Alcaraz is ready to chase history at Indian Wells, a place that has quickly become his tennis paradise.
